CHANGES IN EUROPE 1200-1450
Political Changes Prior Condition: Most of Europe Feudalistic, with few exceptions: Holy Roman Empire England Papal States – Ruled by pope in Italy Spain and Portugal ruled by Moors (Umayyad Caliphate)
Initial Condition (cont) Power of monarchs very limited: “Zero Sum Game” Nobles - castles and knights Kings - limited $ -- Pope Boniface VIII issued Bull Unum Sanctum, claiming overlordship
Political Transformations New military tech (crossbows, firearms) eliminated armor and castles as advantages: Rise of partially independent trading cities Great Western Schism undermined pope Constitutionalism - Magna Carta
Ending condition -- 1450 Kings able to assert more power from nobles, but not unlimited: Catholic Church lost most of power Bourgeoisie gained power – became dominant in some areas (i.e. City-States)
Economic Changes Prior condition: Europe relatively isolated from world trade systems Barter economy Unsafe infrastructure Manorialism Serfdom for most Europeans
Economic Transformation Crusades & Pax Mongolica Re-connection of Europe to World Trade Sack of Constantinople - 4th crusade Increase in regional trade organizations Black Death brought decline of Serfdom New technologies meant more efficient manufacturing: -- Wool from Flanders
Economic Transformation Shift in military to expensive weaponry and mercenaries = $$$$$ Jews as money-lenders Banking Medici Fueggers Guilds controlled most industries, some ran whole cities (e.g. Traders guild of Venice) Cosimo De Medici
Ending Condition Fall of Mongols = Venetians shifted suppliers New land and sea routes Discovery of gold trade by Spanish & Portuguese exploration of W. African Coast Empowered city-states could flexibly deal in new economy
Religion – status quo Catholic church powerful: English King Henry’s murder of Archbishop of Canterbury Investiture Controversy Pope able to call Crusades Support of Holy Roman Emperor Orders of Knights
Changes in Religion Pope challenged by French King Phillip II Kidnapped & died Replaced by new pope in Avignon New pope elected in Rome (actually, two!) “Great Western Schism” Split between Pope and Holy Roman Emperor Catholic church never recovered its power.
Ending Condition: Religion Focus on architecture to display power and majesty of church Rise of Gothic Architecture Cathedrals played part in urban revival: drew pilgrims who purchased goods and services New translations of classical and biblical texts prompted Vatican Library
Military – Existing condition Nobles - independent power based on armored knights & stone castles Knights and peasants served as part of feudalistic agreement Kings not strong enough to subdue nobles
Military Changes 100 Years War (1337 – 1453) between England and France meant development and adoption of new technologies: Crossbow English Longbow Swiss Pike Firearms SPANISH RECONQUISTA: CRUSADE AGAINST MOORS
Ending Condition: Military Knights and Castles no longer as important Castles easily destroyed, nobles lost independent military power Peasants armed with crossbows, longbows, firearms the new backbone of military – but EXPENSIVE Military hired for money (mercenary) Spain and Portugal controlled by Christians
Social Changes Existing condition: Feudalism No real middle class Most peasants rural, lived hard lifestyle Jews persecuted but also used as source of money Heavy reliance on Church for meaning and help
Social Changes Black Death meant labor shortage, end of serfdom Loss of faith in church and renaissance humanism brought more secular culture Urbanization brought increasing sophistication of middle class Jews still blamed for problems, persecuted: 100,000 Jews driven out of Spain & Portugal as part of reconquista
Ending Condition -- Social New Middle Class, urban culture in cities (esp. City-States) Rise of secularism End of Serfdom
Intellectual Changes Prior Condition: Slow buildup of scholarship Scholasticism attempted to reconcile Greek Rationalism (esp. Aristotle) with Christianity Most scholarship happening in monasteries Limited knowledge of scientific advances of rest of world
Transformations Crusades and Pax Mongolica brought new knowledge Black Death and Great Western Schism broke hold of church Rise of bourgeoisie brought new intellectual currents Renaissance Humanism
Ending Condition: Intellectual Renaissance Humanism and Classical Education Re-interpretation of texts, revival of Greek and Latin Literature in Vernacular Languages, e.g. Dante and Chaucer Rise of Universities as centers of learning Printing press meant explosion of information
Francesco Petrarch
St. Thomas Aquinas
Desiderius Erasmus
Geoffrey Chaucer
Dante Algieri
Artistic Changes Medieval Art focused on religious themes and symbolism Lack of perspective Limited color palate Limited themes – few secular or classical Patronage mostly by Church or kings All art anonymous
Cosimo De Medici
Transformation Italian Renaissance Perspective New colors New medium, e.g. Oil painting Contraposto and Chiaroscuro Secular and classical themes New patronage by bourgeoisie Credit given to individual artists
Art- Ending condition Revival or Greco-Roman styles and standards of beauty Famous artists and schools productive Sponsorship by Church used new art to glorify, e.g. St. Peters Cathedral Art both sacred and secular New mediums developed into established fields, e.g. Oil Painting
Giotto’s Lamentation (1305)
Jan Van Eyck Self-Portrait(?)
Altarpiece at Ghent
Altarpiece at Ghent -- Closed
Ghent Altarpiece detail
Ghent altarpiece -- detail
da Vinci – Mona Lisa
da Vinci – Vitruvian Man
Piazza of St. Peters Bernini
Sistine Chapel The Sistine Chapel
Michelangelo’s David Michelangelo - David